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Theodore Varill
Theodore Varill is a Paladin, Knight of the Silver Hand and devout follower of the Light. He was the second son of Rhandy and Lisa Varill, born in the Capital City of Lordaeron near the end of the Second War. Early Life His childhood was one of joy, as his parents were artists and freethinkers, and they would often make tours through the country to advertise their work and spread their mindset. For young Theodore, it was marvellous to visit numerous cities, since he learned a lot from its denizens. In one of these trips, he visited Tyr's Hand, where he first grew attached to the Light. Despite his parents being believers of the human faith, he did not pay much attention in the philosophy, something natural for a child. The son of Rhandy and Lisa had a very enlightning experience in the local monastery of the northern town. Henceforth, it was decided by him that in time he would become a paladin in the service of the Church and Lordaeron. Unfortunately for him, when he was of age to join the ranks of the knightly order, the Silver Hand rejected him without giving a reason, something that would affect him for many years. Personality The paladin, given the very nature of his office, is a very pious man. Once leader of a militia, the men looked up to him for counsel on spiritual matters. Nonetheless, it can be said that he does not feel completely comfortable in that position. Even then, Theodore believed he had no true knowledge to guide those in the Light's path, considering it a task better suited for priests or more scholarly paladins. His training years in Tyr's Hand served to make of the green boy a full fleshed fighter. It was widely accepted amongst the people of the city that he would grow to become a prominent soldier. His speed and stamina were his strongest points, though the youngster did not lack in strength. The masters-of-arms who trained him emphasized, then, the technique. The ability to make calculated, precise and unexpected strikes was what set apart good from master swordsmen, they said. Therefore, Theodore would train for hours after the sparring was over. During this time, he still nourished hope to gain admittance to the knightly order of the Silver Hand. Despite the fact he had been rejected, this experience turned him into a man who valued martial prowess and training, one aspect that he continues to carry nowadays. On the other hand, his parents, being artists and freethinkers, taught him the value of a formal education. The young boy learned much about the History of the Grand Alliance and its kingdoms. That knowledge played an important part for him later on, as he became a private tutor for children in Stormwind City. When it comes to leadership, the knight believes in setting an example, to be a man who others look up to. In this sense, if one of his subordinates fails to act properly, Theodore believes that, at its core, it was his own failure. The paladin rarely resorts to public shaming, prefering to deal with misconducts privately. However, if the situation calls for it, he will not shy away from his duty as a commander and correct his soldier in front of the other troops. Finally, differently than most paladins, Sir Theodore does not believe in hollow sacrifices. He respects the concept of martyrdom and its sacred role, but he will not throw away the lives of his men for that. Hence, if the situation looks hopeless and the knight is on command, he will sound the horn for retreat. This is not say to say, though, that he will not stand against evil, as there have been occasions where the paladin had to stand his ground against a legion of enemies with few fellow soldiers, only to be saved by unexpected reinforcements. As such, his only misgivings appear when commanders presume to make of his subordinates companions in martyrdom without their consent. Usual tactics As a commander, Theodore is known to have developed a talent for reading the situation and calling for strikes in the position the enemy is weakest. Moreover, he is a pretty adaptable tactician, though in general, the knight is very fond of full cavalry charges, believing it to the best method to trample down the enemies of the Church and the Grand Alliance. When fighting one-on-one, his weapon of choice is a blessed warhammer given to him in the occasion of his annointment cerimony. His signature move is a strong strike on his enemy's midsection, as if successful, breaks his enemy's ribs and forces him to submission. Against more wicked foes, ones that need to be vanquished instead of captured, such as demons and Forsaken, the knight aims for the head and complements his attacks with waves of holy fire. The Third War and Captain of the Militia After being refused a place in the Order of the Silver Hand, Theodore enlisted in the Lordaeron Army. He was able to rise through the ranks fast, for during his youth he had extensive training with a skilled master-of-arms. Alas, it was not the easiest time for one to be in the service of the military. Soon the undead hordes of Lordaeron would swarm the land. This was aggravated by Prince Arthas' betrayal, which left all resistance against the Scourge in a chaotic state. In the absence of official troops, many people took for themselves the task to defend the northern country. Theodore Varill was no different. He joined a militia created by a former Colonel of the Army. This group was supposed to make organized strikes at the undead, destroying their supply lines, attacking them through the rear and then quickly disappear and other maneuvers to halt their path of destruction. Unfortunately, the Colonel was very lacking when it came to strategy and decisiveness. Consequently, the militia suffered heavy casualties, and eventually, the leader himself fell in battle. From this point on, command was given to the still green youngster Theodore. The man decided that it was foolish to continue struggling against the Scourge in their current condition. They had no provisions neither manpower to withstand much longer. Therefore, the militia was to march south, to the still unaffected lands of Arathi and seek the aid of Stromgarde and, perhaps, of the dwarves of Khaz Modan. During their voyage, Theodore had to deal with his subordinate, old Sergeant Davis, taking arms against him, upon disagreement of his decision to flee Lordaeron. Eventually, the two battled and Davis perished. This event still haunts Theodore constantly, despite not harboring much affection for the fallen one. To make matters worse, the militia was ambushed by a large Scourge host near Andorhal and only escaped death because a big group of Scarlet Crusaders came to their rescue. After this, Theodore continued their journey south, being sucessful in saving what remained of his men. Life in Stormwind and the Clergy of the Holy Light It was clear for Theodore that no other nation was willing to help Lordaeron at the time. Both Stromgarde and Khaz Modan had their own problems and didn't seem to care much about their northern ally. Being naive, the young man was a bit shocked at this notion and struggled to accept it. However, as time passed, he saw the folly of his insistence and decided that there were other ways to further a cause other than blindly rushing to death. That said, he journeyed further south to the last known bastion of mankind, Stormwind, where the young soldier abandoned his previous military life, as his disillusion had grew severe. Alas, Theodore knew no one in the metropolis, and thus was forced to take a simple life, working part of his time as a trader and as a tutor for middle class children. After years in this routine, he was approached by a unknown paladin who saw much promise in him, and offered him a place in the Clergy of the Holy Light, a sect of the Church of the Holy Light. Remembering his early life, especially his childhood, he promply joined. Theodore began as a novice and, upon becoming an aspirant, was assigned for a time as apprentice to Sir Heord Lantheron to learn the ways of paladinhood. Along with his mentor, he ventured north, to Alterac Mountains, to retrieve an ancient blade, forged in times immemorial, called Caelos, High Blade of the Heavens. They were eventually met with resistance by the Horde, who was after the same thing. However, with some subtlety and fierce tenacity, the pair was able to return victorious from their mission. For this feat, they were commended by Bishop Johannes Moorwhelp in the Cathedral of Light. Theodore continued his apprenticeship for some more months, accompanying the Clergy in their campaigns, most particularly in the Arathi Highlands. It was there that the then Exemplar of the Church, Sir Tenevus Stromheart, decided that he was fit to be annointed and become a Paladin. Sir Theodore the Chivalrous, Knight of the Silver Hand Theodore Varill was given the choice of where the knighting would take place. After some thought, he decided to make it in Tyr's Hand, the place where he first opened his eyes to the Light's grace in his childhood. In a beautiful cerimony, he was awarded the knight title, with the postnominal the Chivalrous. Theodore appreciated it, because he always felt that to do the Light's bidding appropriately, one was faced with difficult choices, and to be considered "chivalrous" among his peers meant that he more often than not managed to overcome these challenges. The Battle of Theramore It would not take long for the Alliance to call upon the Church's military host, as the Horde, fueled with bloodlust and with boosted morale due to their recent victories in the battlefield, dangerously moved towards Lady Jaine Proudmoore city and only major human settlement in Kalimdor, Theramore Isle. Soon, the whole might of the Grand Alliance was mustered and disembarked into the western continent. Sir Theodore accompanied the Clergy in its vessel, and was given command of a small unit, responsible for taking care of enemy scouts. In the day before the siege begun, the knight joined a contingent, led by Sir Tenevus Stromheart, with the purpose of routing the Horde forces that were coming from the sea. The armies clashed in Alcaz Island. In a violent and bloody battle, the Alliance was utterly defeated, forcing the commander to order a retreat. Now, not only the enemies had great numbers to lay waste to the city, but they would be allowed to storm the docks with impunity. The Horde commanders, confident in their strength after the victory in Alcaz Island, decided to assault the gates, instead of holding the siege. That quickly proved to be a mistake, for the Grand Alliance, while had suffered other defeats previously, clinged to the last bastion of humanity in a most tenacious way. Unwilling to bend the knee, the defenders managed to engulf the Horde, forcing whatever survivors to withdraw completely from Dustwallow Marsh. Following the battle, much celebration was had in the city, with Lady Proudmoore throwing a feast in honor of the soldiers who had stood against impending darkness. As the festivities ended, the various representatives of the Alliance returned to its original homes. Theodore returned with the Church to Stormwind, where they would continue their sacred mission, confident that Theramore would remain safe for many years to come. However, Garrosh Hellscream, aware that most of the Alliance had left, exploited this and attacked the town again, but this time in a different manner. The orc Warchief employed a mana bomb against the city, completely obliterating the naval settlement at last. Aftermath The destruction of Theramore shook the faith of many in the Light, as they believed that if something like that could happen, the world was a place devoid of good things. The attack also provoked a calling for vengeance among many in the Alliance. The most zealous ones were even advocating retaliation in the same terms, killing those who had nothing to do with Garrosh's acts, such as children, women and old man of the Horde. It was then that His Grace Johannes Moorwhelp denounced the actions of the Horde's leader, going as far as naming him as the War-Prince of Orgrimmar, called for a crusade against the orcish capital. The Lord-Bishop then chose Sir Theodore Varill as the commander of this enterprise, for the dwarf priest saw not only the strenght necessary to lead men in such an important battle, but also unyielding valor. The paladin was considered a moderate man, who understood the price of war and the difference between enemy and innocent. The Crusade of Orgrimmar Sir Theodore, upon receiving the task by the Lord-Bishop himself, started to devise what many saw as folly or even insanity. However, to the young paladin, this was a viable undertaking, given enough planning was put into motion. His experience in the Lordaeron Army provided him much tactical experience, along with a sense of confidence in victory if the soldiers were willing to commit themselves to the cause. That said, the knight's plans were divided into three phrases. The first one would be dedicated for pacifying the King's lands and ensuring the Church had the support of the common folk. Theodore saw this as the greatest necessity because one can't make war abroad when strife is present at home. That said, he was given information that a group called Old Dawn, along with a man of the Stormwind nobility were trying to subvert the order and create rebellion against King Varian Wrynn. His second goal was to muster the Clergy's allies in an effort to bring everyone together. After all, the knight was certain the host of the faithful alone would not be enough to assault the gates of Orgrimmar. In his mind, this would be done through a series of diplomatic meetings and small local campaigns. For example, he envisioned a possible journey of the Clergy to Lordaeron to help its sister orders there, or even to Kalimdor to aid secular forces who had sealed an alliance with the Church sect. Finally, his third objective was to move to Pandaria and other underexplored parts of the world to gather resources for the big military host, assuring a good supply line. The Old Dawn In progress The failed diplomacy In progress Duty Head Paladin of the Clergy of Holy Light In progress On Gavinrad's Footsteps During a meeting of the College of Canons, the Lord-Vicar to Bishop Johannes Moorwhelp, Count Erich Manstein announced that a great number of relics had been stolen, taken in the night from the Church's vaults. Amongst the artifacts that had disappeared was the sigil of Gavinrad, given to the first Champion of Peace by Uther the Lightbringer himself. It had the iconic symbol of the Silver Hand engraved on it. Given the item's connection to the knightly order, Sir Theodore was appointed to lead the efforts into retrieving it. The paladin gathered all members of the College and marched towards the Plaguelands. His first idea was to put the clergymen in a search for clues in the grave of Gavinrad, who is located just by the side of Uther's Tomb, in Sorrow Hill. At the same time, he mustered a host composed of squires, still not battle-proven, and journeyed through Lordaeron to find any signs of the sigil. In the beginning of this enterprise, the troops led by Sir Theodore were engaged by a small band of loyalists to the Cult of the Damned, just in the outskirts of the Forsaken controlled city of Andorhal. Immediately, the knight called out for his troops to take up arms. However, that was not a decision he took lightly. The danger of an ambush by Sylvanas' lot was high, considering their location, and his host was not actually prepared for battle. On the other hand, he knew the cultists would not give up the chase, and the Church's men were in a hill, a favorable position for them. As the fight begun, the forces commanded by Sir Theodore had an initial difficult due to their inexperience. Nonetheless, the paladin managed to rally them properly and, with a keen eye for detecting enemies' weakness into the battlefield, he was able to strike where the opponent was weakest, which led to a decisive victory. In the meantime, the clergymen charged with investigating Gavinrad's Tomb found out that the remnants of the Cult of the Damned were responsible for seizing the artifact. They also discovered that it had been taken to the island of Caer Darrow, in the Darrowmere Lake. Despite this knowledge, the Church could not initiate the assault on the insular fortress, for the vile cultists had erected a dark barrier around it, which prevented anyone from entering. Thus, after being instructed by the spirits in Gavinrad's resting place, the clergy's main forces traveled to Darrowshire, a town where the noble paladin used to preach. They hoped to find a way through the barrier cast by the servants of the Scourge. Soon, Sir Theodore realized the mission had turned a lot more complicated than initially planned. The expedition was ill prepared for a task that would require days, let alone a full-scale invasion into Caer Darrow. He called for more soldiers sworn to the Church and created Gavinrad's Might, a small outpost in the Plaguelands, meant to serve as a staging ground for the operation. Additionally, the Duty Head contacted Sir Ulrich Hoffen, son of the legendary paladin Sir Harwyn Hoffen, the Shieldbearer. Sir Ulrich is a landed knight, possessing many men at his command. His father was, obviously, a staunch enemy of the Scourge. As such, his forces bolstered Sir Theodore's numbers. Many quick engagements happened during the campaign, the Church's forces always prevailing. After all, the Cult of the Damned would not risk abandoning their precious foothold in Caer Darrow. Eventually, the time came for the siege of Caer Darrow. Some of the College's champions had been blessed in their journey to Darrowshire, protecting them from the foul magics that prevented them from entering. The blessed ones entered the fortress with the main purpose of bringing to justice those who had stolen the relic, but their secondary goal was to find a way to bring down the barrier, allowing reinforcements to pour into the cursed town. Simultaneously, Sir Theodore had the city sieged, with more than two hundred soldiers, including Sir Ulrich's bannermen. They discovered that a Lich was maintaning the aura and after a difficult fight, in which Sir Balverine Drakewing was severely injured, the wretched fiend fell, along with the barrier. At once, a great number of soldiers entered the citadel. Sir Theodore stayed behind to defend the gate, as a great number of Scourge reinforcements arrived timely. The paladin had a considerable force consisting of seasoned warriors to back him up, so despite the fact the enemies were many, the Church's servants prevailed. That said, the forces inside Caer Darrow were also successful, defeating the death knight known as The Leecher of Hope and snatching Gavinrad's sigil. After that, the champions returned to the safe embrace of Stormwind. During a meeting of the College of Canons in Northshire Abbey, Sir Theodore presented the sigil to His Grace Lord-Bishop Johannes Moorwhelp, as a sign of victory. Final notes -This is a work in progress. Category:Characters Category:Clergy of the Holy Light Category:Order of the Silver Hand Category:Human Category:Lordaeronian Category:Blood of Lordaeron Category:Paladins